Hellboy III: Birth of the Apocalypse
by iDealStorys
Summary: There is a prophecy many people talk about, Anung un Rama will bury the world in ash and fire, or so they said, but Hellboy makes his own destiny, he made that very clear, but what is written in the books of fate cannot be undone, the end days will come. (This is basically a re-write and reupload of me and a friends fanfic of the same name)
1. Prologue

Location: Hell, city capital; Pandemonium 00:00 October 30 2009

The night is silent, pitch, and hot; hotter than it is most days, even for hell. In the capital there are voices speaking; whispering into the ink of the dark. Saying things and spreading rumors. Anung Un Rama, the beast of the apocalypse they say, he shall become a father. Twins they say.

The prime chief of devils smiles to himself proudly, he shall be of father of father's; the prophecy at long last shall be fulfilled.


	2. Chapter 1

Location: England; Blackburn 23:44 October 30 2009

She holds his hand nervously, not the warm one of red flesh and bone, but the cold hardened appendage of stone and ancient magic. Quickly he glanced down at her uncertainly, his wheat colored eyes moving from her soft reassuring face to the veiled medium that sat crouched on the floor before them, tracing over a set of large intricate rings of swirling lines; old and ancient sigils of magic made of salt and blessed white sand.

"Liz, I think I'm having second thoughts about all this," the demon said with a slight grunt, as he watched as the psychic on the ground placed a small clear hand blown glass bowl of water onto the floor, inside one of the salt and sand circles just outside of the outer ring of sigils.

The demon shook his head slowly, seeing the medium was racking his mind with everything that could have gone wrong: what if the summoning didn't work? What if Liz got hurt? What if the twins were hurt, or worse? He asked himself. He just wasn't ready for this sort of thin.

He stole a quick glance at the small pale hand wrapped firmly around one of his huge stony fingers; it was there for comfort he reminded himself with a grimace, but it didn't feel comforting, in fact it hadn't felt like much of anything. If anything at all, it was just a reminder of what he was or wasn't and what their children would or wouldn't be he thought with a grimace as he tried to avoid Liz's soft worried gaze.

"It's a little late for that don't you think Red?" she asked doubtfully, her voice had been distant; she watched as the shrouded medium placed an empty glass bowl upside down on the floor, completely engrossed in her work not so much as turning a hair in their direction.

"I know it's just-can't this wait for another month or something?" he asked earnestly he hadn't been watching the psychic at work as Liz had, instead he was staring at Liz; drinking in her in, her dark hair, her soft eyes, her swollen belly.

"And then what Red? You can't expect me to walk around like this forever?" she motioned to her belly with her free hand.

"Not forever just a few months…ya know until I'm ready."

"I can't live like this." She said gesturing to her swollen stomach again, and the demon sighed this hadn't been the first time she had used that line on him he thought with a slight frown.

"Of course you can babe, you've been like this for what? A year now? Another month or two couldn't hurt," he argued half excited that he was making a point of some sort, and this time it was Liz's turn to sigh.

"Red you know what I mean."

"It's not natural, it's not normal," she said giving him a weak glare before placing her forehead gently on his shoulder to turn and look at the psychic who had left them at some point without so much as a warning or a sound.

"Liz," he began. "Look at us we're not exactly normal," he said bluntly after feigning a laugh, the sentence was supposed to hurt her but instead his words pierced though his chest like a blade. The tiny cluttered room went silent neither truly wanting to speak for fear of hurting the other.

"Is that what you want to be? Normal?" Her voice was soft when she spoke as though she were holding back tears and he didn't respond.

"Look Red…I know you. I know your scarred but don't be," the sorrow vanished from her voice as she spoke.

"I just don't want to screw up Liz, like I do everything else...I mean these are kids. I can screw up big."

"Red you're not a screw up, you're a hero. Sure you mess things sometimes…but everyone makes mistakes."

"You mean was a hero, we quit remember? And everyone hated us anyway," he reminded her.

"No, not every one…and I don't mean was. You still are Red, you're a hero to me…to Abe…Krauss…and when these guys come into the picture you'll be their hero too," he said softly cupping his cheek with a pale hand before giving his black small goatee a playful tug.

"Wow…the gas bag too? Now you're just making this stuff up," the demon joked, and Liz smiled before giving him a light punch on the arm.

"Red,"she whined. "I'm serious," she smiled and he nodded.

"Yeah, I know babe sorry. I'm just nervous. I'm going to be a dad Liz," he said with a grin. Liz could only smile.

"I know Red."

Beads smacked and smashed against each other in the distance and for the first time in what might have been an hour, the couple looked up to see the veiled woman approaching the summoning cirlcle with slow somber strides, a small book of matches from a local bar in her hands.

At first the woman said nothing, save for the small chants she muttered beneath her breath as she lit one of the matches before placing it in a small clear bowl with the rest of the book of matches that seemed to catch flame very quickly.

"A blood sacrifice is needed," the woman spoke for the first time in a long while, she stood up from the floor, her voice no more than a whisper.

"Sacrifice? You didn't say anything about a sacrifice," the demon said protectively.

"I assumed you already knew, after all we are dealing with hell spawn, things of this nature have a price," the psychic said quickly and with little sympathy or forethought.

"They aren't hellspawn, they're our damn kids!" he snapped Liz rubbed his shoulder, she wasn't willing to argue with the psychic.

"Red it's fine," began Liz and the demon snorted.

"Fine whatever let's just get this over with, I don't want to deal with this old bat longer than I have to," the demon said as he stood up, offering his own blood for the sacrifice, but the woman only shook her head disapprovingly.

"Not you. Her," the said in her thin whisper of a voice. The demon couldn't help but feel as though she had denied him on purpose, some sick form of punishment for him calling her a old bat.

"Whoa wait a second."

"Red, it's fine. Alright, so how do we do this…blood sacrifice?" Liz asked nervously but the psychic hadn't responded, instead she had only moved in a single fluid motion across the room, making sure not to tread on the summoning circle that she had worked so hard to create.

"This will only hurt a bit, but everything has its price..." The medium whispered softly her voice void of emotion and interest as she awaited Liz to give her, her hand; the demon watching over her protectively.

The woman rolled up her long black sleeve to reveal age worn skin and long dirty sharp finger nails. The crone flexed her wrist.

In a flash of black cloth and skin the old crone stabbed her the very tips finger nails into the tips of Liz's fingers, drawing blood.

"Hey!" the demon hissed at the sound of Liz's disgruntled grunt but the woman ignored him, pulling Liz by her arm over to the circle where she squeezed the life's blood from her pale finger and into the circles center. Liz's blood fell in small beads that hit the sand, splattered and darkened its color. And then like that the woman pushed her away.

"It has been done," The crone hissed as she turned towards the odd couple.

"But it's not ready, is it?" Liz asked nervously, all the courage and fire suddenly drained from her as though it had existed only in those twin droplets of blood.

"I am not the one who can answer that," the crone responded her voice just as dull and empty as it had been before.

"I don't know- maybe we shouldn't go through with this Red."

"Second thoughts babe?" the demon asked with a raise of his brow.

"Red, don't do that to me I'm just being cautious! What if Abe and Krauss are in the wrong place or-

"Babe, you of all people having second thoughts? Trust me…its going to be fine," he smiled, gently grabbing and squeezing her hands within his own.

"Now, it is time," the crone said deeply her voice no longer that distant whisper.

"Wait but I thought everything was already done why are we only starting now? Why the wait?" the demon asked confused.

"Everything might have been done, but everything was not ready."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you. What you two are about to pull from the veil is not something that a mere summoning circle and a few sigils can prepare you for. These circles will do nothing for you, I feel you two will love what comes from this summoning, but I must tell you they are not children...I know you do not want to hear that but I can see the end- the burdens you face Liz Sherman and demon...you must be ready for."

The couple frowned.

"And you think we're ready now?" The demon asked mockingly.

"I don't know…are you?"

The two exchanged looks. "Yes," they answered firmly; they had been looking at each other again, their eyes trapped with in the others, soft smiles on their faces. Yes, they were ready.

"Good then let us begin the summons."

* * *

Location: England; Bromwich, ruined church, 01:52, October 31 2009

The blue humanoid amphibian known as Abe Sapien, walked silently besides his fellow former B.P.R.D member, a nervous expression on his alien face as he and his German companion braved through the ruins that were once the old Bromwich church.  
He personally had never been the brave one of their little group of quote-un-quote heroes, nor had he been the risk taker, (with the exception of that incident involving prince Nuada and the princess; but that was love, and love could always make people do the strangest things and for those of different races and species nothing was changed,) he himself had always been the brains, the pathologically curious paranormal Einstein of their group of former supernatural investigators.  
"Might I ask professor, I mean Mr. Krauss sir?" Abe started with a nervous blink and twitching fingers; he was still having trouble getting past the formalities or better yet the lack thereof.  
"Please, Herr. Sapien kall me Johann!" the German said throwing up a metal and leather gloved finger dramatically, his lack of facial expressions had forcing him to rely on dramatics and body language to get his points across.  
"Johann, right…well um might I ask you something…um Yo…han?" Abe asked with a nervous gulp and a brief blink of his big glossy black eyes.  
"Ja, Herr. Sapien azk avay!" Johann said throwing up his hands with that German flair again, as they rounded a corner of a stone wall that had been burned and corroded black.  
"Right then, well it's just that something has been bothering me. Until now I hadn't realized that Red and Liz only specified that we should be in this location but never gave us reason as to why. What exactly could we be looking for as Liz is going into labor?" Abe asked with a confused shrug of his shoulders and Krauss nodded.  
"Zhat Herr Sapien iz because ve are not looking for sumzhing, en fact ve ar vaiting!"  
"Vaiting…I mean waiting? For what exactly?" Abe said shaking off the after effects of listening to Krauss' thick German accent.  
"Herr Hellboy und Frou Sherman ar summoning zeir children."  
"Yes but why are we here? Shouldn't we be with them?"  
"Ja, Ordinarily ve vould howevar vhen dealing vith hell spawn ozer prekautions are needed to be put in order. Frou Sherman und Herr Hellboy are summoning zer children to zis location!" Krauss finished and Abe blinked affirmatively.  
"Ah I see…so we're waiting for the twins to arrive here." Abe blinked figuring the rest on his own.

The old church had been forgotten and abandoned long ago; the tall arches were crumbling, and the the ceiling which was made of weaker stuff, had in places, caved in on itself long ago, held up by rubble and miracles. The charred stairs just as burned and broken as everything else. The device scattered throughout the church in rusted pieces. The the air still smelt freshly burned, as though the destruction of the old church had only just happened.

Abe cocked his head to the left, his hands hovering palms open in front of his face as he tried to feel out for something or someone; a heat source, a heart beat anything but there was none.  
"Well, that's odd I don't seem to be sensing anything." Abe said almost disappointed as they walked carefully up the stairs of the old ruined church.  
"Zhese ar komplicated zings, Herr Sapien. A little patience iz needed," Krauss said before reverting back to silence, the only sound being that of their combined footsteps, as they made their way up the ancient stone stairs, that rattled and shook beneath their weight.  
The two continued to walk in unison silence that was quickly broken by a loud hiss came from the church courtyard followed by an equally loud crash that shook the foundation of the crumbling building.  
"Vhat vas zhat?"  
"I'm not sure...but what ever it is, it looks like its coming from...outside," said Abe staring out a glass less window; just barely he could make out the thin trail of pale smoke only just visible over the dark over of the night sky.  
"I didn't know you kould sense zhings fromm such a distance."  
"Oh...no, I was simply using my eyes. There's smoke coming from the courtyard," he pointed to the smoke, his glossy eyes watching closely as Johann nodded his head.  
"Right!" Johann began as he threw up a finger pointing a roof that had no longer existed. "Lets get moving then Herr Sapien!" Krauss hissed turning on his heels Abe moving uncomfortably behind him as they started back down the stairs.

The walk to the courtyard was fair, the door that lead to it had been blocked off, the crumbled remains of the roof found its way there. And so they had to walk around. The church was surrounded on all sides by strange trees that had grown warped and crooked some looking more like men than actual tree, and tall unkempt grass most of which had been dead in patches. Abe couldn't help but feel as though the trees or something in them were watching them. Stranger things had happened, he told himself, as he pushed the idea to the back of his mind, but he never discredited it, something in his gut told him not to, and if there was anything he had learned throughout his years of fighting monster, always trust your gut was one of them. So he did.  
The night air was crisp and burnt; the sky was a dark bloody and bruised purplish-blue that was interrupted only by a faint flickering blue light, moving, breathing, in the dark.  
Quickly Krauss unlatched the cap on the finger tip of his glove, letting a thin film of smoke bleed from his finger tip; it hadn't been the most rational thing he had ever done but the action put his unsteady mind at ease somehow.  
"Wait," Abe hissed into the dark, his voice no louder than a whisper as he tore one of his leather gloves from his hand, he outstretched his hand, he flexed his fingers, his palm reading the light though something told him he didn't have to, but his curiosity made old habits hard to kick.  
The light sputtered out and but not before the two were able to see the fiery ball that housed two squirming infants; half human, half demon.  
"Oh my, these are the twins." Abe said exasperated as he and Krauss stared at the small children of Liz and Hellboy.  
"Hallo little vons." Krauss said approaching the pair of infant demons cautiously, his heavy foot falls scaring the twins causing them to scurry off to the best of their abilities, they were tiny and more than a little clumsy; the smaller amoung the two could barely navigate, their two stone hands far too large to allow for movement. Abe found himself chuckling silently.  
"No, no, no, no, no. No need to be afraid we're friends. We're not here to harm you." Abe said, advancing with short side steps that the pair studied conscientiously.  
They purred, cooed, and squeaked amongst themselves the smaller of the pair hiding behind the other, if only slightly; bright amber eyes on the blue man and the once human, gas bag.  
"Ja, ve are here to bring you two children home." Krauss said taking another careful step only to be stopped by Abe.  
"They seem to be afraid of you, Johann. Perhaps I should deal with this?"  
"Very vell, Herr Sapien," Krauss agreed dryly, backing up with a nod of his helmeted head.  
Abe knelt in front of the small red twins, one hand propped onto the floor the other outstretched towards them, reading them.  
At first they didn't trust him; at first he was to them a strange blue creature who twitched more than he blinked, at first they only stared at him, their pale and cloudy golden eyes watching him as closely could.  
"Come on, now," he tried to coax the two towards him; the larger had been the one to approach him first fumbling to make moves that his twin hastily repeated. Abe smiled, it was almost impossible to imagine that they were Hellboy's children, they were so small and innocent, it was hard to think they were related at all to the loud mouthed 'big Red'.  
"Yes that's it." Abe said finally as he scooped them up one after another into his arms, he couldn't help but smile down at them; they were so utterly small with their large ears and wagging lizard like tails.  
"Good work, Herr Sapien." Krauss cheered approaching Abe and the children who only seemed to shrink and hide in Abe's arms at the sound of Johann's voice.  
"That's odd, they don't seem to like you much." Abe said as he stared blankly at Johann then the twins who smiled innocently up at him, yes they were definitely Hellboy's children. Who else but Hellboy could make disliking someone an inherited trait? Abe thought with a smile.  
"Ve should kontact Herr Hellboy und Frou Sherman now und tell zem ve have zhe twins," Johann said once they had left the ruins of the old church, the twins cooing purring in Abe's arms.  
"Yes, I just wish I had something to wrap them," Abe began sounding very worried and concerned for the twins as he watched as Krauss pulled out a communicator from his side. Krauss hummed an old German tune from his youth as he began punching in the numbers to contact Hellboy and Liz, with terribly stiff movements, Abe standing nervously less than a foot behind him, his head cocking left and right as though trying to hear something that wasn't there.  
"Hallo? Ah yes Herr Hellboy, ve have retrieved ze twins, und might I say kongratulations Herr Hellboy, und Frou Sherman. Ja, ja…ve ar on are vay now. Nein…zey ar vith Herr Sapien."  
There had been a noise, a faint noise, the sound of a pebble being kicked across the floor some distance away. Quickly Abe turned around, his gut knotting up as his worries returned. Someone was there, he could feel it, even without having to scan out the area he knew.  
"Johann…I don't think we should stay here." He said nervously moving forward his eyes on the church just in back of them.  
"Vat do you mean? Nein not you Herr Hellboy…Herr Sapien suggests ve leave ze area immediately…Ja, ja. Herr Sapien ve must leave," Krauss said quickly and Abe nodded.  
"Oh leaving so soon? Please…stay a while longer," A familiar voice hissed from behind them.  
"Herr Sapien protect ze children! I vill hold him off." Krauss hissed and Abe obediently hurried off the twins sleeping in his arms the excitement not so much as causing them to snore, but perhaps that was a good thing.  
"You can't keep them from their destiny? Not like you kept the child from his," Abe heard the voice whisper in the distance, an old ghost come back to haunt them. He could feel shaking, but he wasn't sure if it was himself or the twins.  
In the distance Krauss had been screaming something inaudible.  
His heart pounded in his chest: bah-bump, bah-bump. Bah-bump, bah-bump.  
In his arms the twins were beginning to stir, red limbs slowly churning and creaking to life as they awoke; actions that the usually attentive Abe ignored as he ran sloppily towards civilization, where he and the others had decided on a meeting point.  
All he could think about was the voice, the voice and reaching civilization, but reaching the closest town was on the other side of the dark forest, and the trees looked menacing at night. The twisted mangled branches barely allowed for any moonlight peek through the thick tree branches above.  
Confused and cold the demonic infants began to cry low wailing sobs that involved small sparks of fire and heavy punches to the chest with fists of stone.  
"Calm down children…I feel your discomfort but for now you just have to deal with it. I can't stop." Abe said anxiously as he made his way to the rendezvous point, it wouldn't have been much longer he told himself, doing his best to navigate through the dark woods.  
He was surprised to see Liz waiting for him, not at the rendezvous point, but near the edge of the woods a length of fabric in her arms; understandably she hadn't been smiling, she had been staring out at him worried, angry and something else he couldn't read.  
"The twins alright?" were her first words to him.  
"Oh, hello Liz, yes, they are...umm just a little fussy. Uh…where's Red?" Abe asked as he handed the twins to Liz who wrapped them in the thin blanket.  
"He went to help out Krauss, he left after his communicator cut off. What the hell happened back there Abe?" Liz asked taking the children from Abe and wrapping them in the blanket in her arms.  
"I don't quite know how to explain it other than like seeing a ghost."  
"You say that like its impossible." Liz teased and Abe nodded in agreement.  
"Yes, sorry. I suppose we should probably get going," Abe said quickly, nervously checking behind them; nothing.  
"Yeah you're probably right; we have to get these little guys settled." Liz said remnants of a smile finding play on her lips as she looked down at the twins.

The rendezvous point, a small abandoned cottage somewhere in a village of old fairy-folke who had seemed all too interested in Liz's swollen belly, at least when the children were still inside of her womb. Though now that her womb had been empty there was ,they seemed more interested with the twins than anything else. Every so often they would knock on the door in rotations, pleading to nurse the children or simply hold them. And each time Hellboy would answer the door and sneer at them, his looks alone were enough to send them running for a time. But it wasn't enough thought Red glaring at the door, at any moment he thought, they might get bold.

Time passed by, and with it their fairy neighbors had calmed down, their constant knocking on the door thinned out and for the first time in a while they were allowed to think.  
Liz peeked out from behind the door of the back room.  
"The twins are asleep, poor little guys were worn out," she mused, smiling out at Hellboy who took slow steps over to her, he hadn't seen the twins yet, not up close anyway.  
"Can I see em?" he mused, the excitement made his voice crack.  
"Yeah," Liz could barely believe he had to ask. She took a step out of the way, leading her demon lover and friends into the small dim room.  
Liz had gotten the room ready for them, with the help of their anxious neighbors, they had helped make a small crib for the twins made from stout Firs. There were blankets as well, softer than silk, made from old magic and night sky.  
"Hey look at that...he has my tail," Hellboy beamed playing with one of the twin's tiny tail with the ti of his finger.  
"She," Liz corrected him and he froze peeking up at her.  
"I have a daughter?" he asked in a rather loud whisper. "We have a daughter?" he corrected himself.  
Liz smiled trying her best not to laugh.  
"Yeah. And they both have tails, just like their daddy," said Liz softly.  
"I'm sorry to interrupt but ar ve going to talk about zhe attack?" asked Krauss curiously.  
"Hey easy gas bag, you'll wake up the kids."  
Liz made a face, "Maybe we should talk about it in the other room," Liz said folding her arms over her chest as she spoke, watching as the other filed out of the room.

Outside of the room there was brief talk about the attack that occurred; the attack that they all knew was meant to be a kidnapping.  
"I dunno what the hell happened but after we ran after the bastard, but he got away," Hellboy didn't like the sound of that, got away, but there wasn't much else he could say. And there wasn't much else he could have done, and chasing ghosts wasn't productive. But that's not what had bothered him. He had already knew that people would want to take or hurt the twins, but what he hadn't expected was the who. The Nazis, back again, or maybe it was the psychopath Rasputin, or at least that's what Hellboy thought his name was, it had been so long since that night, the night he nearly lost Liz and himself. But other than flimsy memories, there wasn't much to go on.  
"I should've chased him down," Hellboy hissed cursing himself for not trying harder, he was a father after all damn it.  
"Maybe we should think about something else for now," Liz began rolling her shoulders as she gave her arms a slight squeeze. "I mean the children need names guys. I don't want to keep calling them the children, or the twins, or the kids…they need names," Liz said walking back into the room, staring fondly into the Fir wood crib as she leaned against the frame of the door.  
"How about Junior? Ya know for the boy," Hellboy joked and Liz rolled her eyes.  
"I'm serious Red, and we're not naming our son Hellboy II," Liz sneered with a roll of her eyes and her hands on her hips.  
"What why not? What's wrong with my name?"  
"Well how about simple such as William or Jessica?" Abe asked curiously moving the pressure off of Liz and she gave a halfhearted sigh.  
"You know exactly what's wrong with naming our kids after you Red," Liz sounded helpless. "Sorry Abe I don't want the kids to sound like spoiled little rich kids."  
"Vhat about Ivan?" Krauss added from the corner of the room with a dramatic rise of his finger.  
"Yeah uh…Johann…I don't care what Liz thinks on the subject but we're not naming my kid Ivan."  
"No, no…I'm sorry Krauss but I agree with Red."  
"Nien, zat iz okay, frou Sherman," Johann nodded and Hellboy sneered  
"Yeah whatever gasbag…hey Liz…what about Roe?" Hellboy asked a large smile playing on his face.  
"Roe?"  
"Yeah, ya know, for the girl!"  
"Wow Red…that's actually really nice."  
"Thanks babe."  
"Oh and what about…Devon?" Liz asked but there was no argument.  
"Yeah babe." Hellboy said making a face that Liz hadn't noticed, he hadn't truly liked the name; he was still fixed on junior, he had always wanted to hear someone say 'Hey Red…no not you the other Red.' But now because of Liz he would never get that wish fulfilled. Damn, he thought to himself with a shake of his head and a weak smile. Damn.


	3. Chapter 2

Location: England; Non-disclosed location 14:23, October 24 2016

Just outside of the small fairy village, on the very percipience of the barrier that kept it safe and hidden from outsiders, Roe was hard at play, tall for her age, quite thin and just as clumsy, made her a poor candidate for most games that involved using her hands or feet, hide and seek was no different. She had been losing the game to her brother, another one of her favorite games, that she sadly was never any good at, and it was her turn to hide, after she had miraculously found her brother; his horns, that had gotten larger over the years were a dead giveaway to his position behind the couch in their comfortable cottage, that thanks to fairy magics always seemed to be bigger inside than out.

Roe hid behind a small Fir, her tail flailing visibly from behind the somewhat warped tree.

"The daughter of the child," a cool eerily familiar voice hissed from just beyond the barrier, she was barely sure she had heard it, it could have been imaginary, or...she frowned stuck on the thought, she had imagined things before...the voice began to speak again. So strangely familar, she was almost certain she had heard it once, a long time ago, but she couldn't place it.

"My how you have grown," it continued with a slight accent; Roe didn't speak, not at first.

"Who are you?" she asked clearly more curious than afraid.

"Come to me daughter of the child...meet me beyond barrier and I shall tell you," the voice hissed. Roe made a face, turning to the shimmering barrier just ahead. Nothing ever went beyond the barrier, at least that's what she was always told, the world outside of the barrier was scary and dangerous, but peeking behind the tree at the barrier she could see a very obvious figure standing behind it, a dark smudge, no visible face or features to speak of, but it was a person, and it was watching her, and watching her closely, she knew that, she could...feel it.

She took a deep breathpreapring one of her brother's snappy responses when she was shoved to to the ground, scraping her elbows and knees.

"Found you," Devon piped staring down at his twin who was scraping herself off of the ground, her large stone hands giving her some trouble. He would have offered her a hand, but Roe always insisted on doing things herself absolutely, it was almost always, "I can do it!" or "I don't need any help," she was used to people treating her stone hands as though they were a disability and she did her best to show them up.

"Were you even hiding?" Devon asked looking his sister over once she had regained her footing, his eyes demanding an answer. At first she only shrugged before turning to the barrier again.

"I was...I mean I started to. But then there was someone behind the barrier," began Roe, pointing to the barrier, she and her brother eying it closely, beyond it he could just barely make out the hazy silhouettes of the tall warped trees of the woods but there was no someone at least not the someone she was talking about.

"There's no one there you liar," Devin snorted crossing his arms over his chest.

"Am not! There was someone there, there was a man behind the barrier! I'm not lying, there really was! He was just there!"

Devon frowned, arms folded over his chest.

"No ones there," Devon pointed out turning to his sister now, she looked nothing short of devastated, lip quivering with anger.

"He was just there...and he was talking to me! Really!" she shouted turning to look at the barrier, eying it closely, Devon was right there wasn't a man there, but she knew what she saw. She had seen the man on the other side, truly she had.

"You're just imagining things again like a crazy person," Devon grunted with a roll of his eyes, Roe frowned scrunching up her nose furiously.

"I am not!" she said stamping a little cloven foot on the ground. Devon snorted

"Then you're lying! I'm going back home," said Devon as he began walking away from his sister.

"I'm not lying...I-I can prove it!" she hissed beneath her breath.

"You can't prooove a lie!"

"I'm not lying...watch I'll go and find the man!"Roe said proudly and Devon frowned not really sure about his sister's plan.

"We're not supposed to go out there," he said frowning some watching as his sister began towards the barrier.

"I'll show you I'm not lying," Roe said head held up high, Devon frowned not sure exactly what to say to stop her, his sister was bullheaded and barely ever listened to reason, out of the two of them Roe was always getting into trouble, somehow, he would have to get their father, he thought with a frown.

* * *

Roe walked through the barrier; cheeks puffed, nostrils flared, anger written clearly a cross her little red face, she couldn't believe that Devon though she was a liar. She wanted nothing more than to some how drag the man back so she could present him to her twin like a trophy. She held her head a little higher at the thought of showing Devon up, and then she looked around the forest and her little heart fluttered and sunk in her chest, the forest was much bigger than she had expected it to be and that only seemed to make her angrier than before.

"I'm not a liar..." she grumbled beneath her breath. "There really was a man behind the barrier," she continued.

She took slow steps further and further away from the barrier feeling an awfully tiny, as she inched deeper and deeper into the forest, making her way further away from the village, and the barrier, and her brother.

Outside of the barrier the air was crisp and sweet. The sunlight that caught on the leaves painted the trees in burning shades of gold and red. Above her the sun was hiding behind the horizon, leaving the sky a painted canvas of bright messy pinks, pale blues, and bruised purples. The woods looked as though they were on fire. The crisp leaves crunched loudly beneath her cloven feet as she took very slow and equally nervous steps deeper into the woods. Golden eyes scanning the trees for the man behind the barrier, but she didn't see anyone.

"Huh-hello!" she called out hoping someone would answer. "I-I-is anyone out th-th-there?" she continued still teetering forward, all was silent.

A fox jumped out from behind a tree, skittering off between her legs, nearly tripping her. She held in the urge to scream. Sucking hard on the air, bracing herself for anymore jump scares. But there were none. The woods were for the most part silent, the only sounds coming from the chirping birds hidden high up within the trees, and the other woodland animal noises, croaking frogs, and scampering squirrels, she could hear it all, but what she couldn't hear were people.

After an hour or so of walking, she peeled away from her nervousness exploring the depths of the woods more thoroughly, Tip toeing around fariy rings that grew round the thick forest oaks and redwoods. On occasion she would call out for the man behind the barrier, but he never did respond, not that she minded much, she had been starting to forget about the man anyway, the forest was filled with such interesting things she couldn't help but let her mind linger to bigger better things. She followed a few frogs to shimmering ponds, one of which had was covered over in a thick murky film, the head of a somewhat waterlogged horse poking out from the water, dead eyes watching her closely. She didn't need to be told to run away. She had even found a woodelf, a tiny little green man dressed head to toe in oak leaf clothing, playing his heart out on a violin just as tiny as he was, but she only got to watch him for mere seconds, the moment his eyes fell on her he vanished not wanting to be bothered with her. The forest was filled with magic, and it made it all the more easier to forget why she was there in the first place, soon she forgot entirely, and decided to just explore.

Time seemed to slow down, minutes became hours and hours became days; she wasn't sure how much time had passed, and she was almost certain she was lost. And and it was getting dark, and that made things worse.

She puffed out her cheeks some, doubling back the way she came, but the trees looked new foreign. She had been around all of them for the duration of the day and yet she was sure she had seen none of them. Each one was a carbon copy of the other, an exact duplicate in every single way. She tired looking for the barrier but the pink of horizon and the seemingly endless sea of trees only seemed to work against her.

She veered off to the left not sure if she had made a left or a right, directions were complicated and strange and she couldn't seem to make out where it was she was going.

She had still been wandering around the woods when they sky darkened with several shades of violent blues and muddy purples.

The fear nestled in her bones, rocking her body at its core; she held onto her arms tightly as though she were trying to keep herself from falling apart.

The tears ripped ripped from her eyes at the hoot of an owl hidden in the thick dark; she could feel eyes on her as the forest around her began to awaken with the rising of the moon, suddenly the magic of the forest seemed to slip away.. The nocturnal creatures of the night, shaking off the left over sleep, and licking their maws as they readied themselves for the hunt.

Roe was running now, she didn't even realize she had been running, but she was, sloppy and fast, arms flailing wildly. She ran until her chest burned and her legs ached, and then she ran some more.

She didn't stop until she fell, her stone hands scraping against her cheeks.

The woods had become far too dark to navigate and she found herself curling behind a tree, trying to hide from the world. Cold and afraid, her heart beating like a drum in her ears.

Behind the tree time slowed to a stop, as the wild things around her grew restless.

There was a loud crack in the distance, like someone had snapped a twig beneath their foot. She flinched, pulling her knees to her chest, taking in a slow shuttering breath, trying her best to hold in her tears, chin quivering, nostrils flared.

When the growling started so did the tears. She couldn't help herself, she was terrified. She squeezed her shoulders down over her large ears, trying her best to pretend she was anywhere else but there. It didn't help much. The growling persisted for but a moment longer before it broke off into frightened whimpers.

"I found her!" Abe Sapien's voice broke through the darkness.

"Uh-uncle Abe?" Roe whined, sniffing back snot and tears, refusing to lift her head up, still too frightened.

A light flashed in the darkness but even that hadn't been enough to make her lift her head.

Strange but familiar hands hoisted her up. She flinched.

"Hey kiddo what're you doing all the way out here," her shoulders fell at the sound of her father's voice and she gripped him tightly.

"Daddy!" she shouted almost too quickly. The demon chuckled gripping her a little tighter.

"Hey, hey where's the fire?"

"Roe," began Abe. "What were you doing all the way out here?" he asked flashing a small flashlight in their direction.

Roe flinched, suddenly remembering why it was had ventured all the way out into the forest to begin with, she bit her lip, nervously shaking her her. "Nuh-no! You'll be mad at me," Roe mumbled beneath her breath.

Hellboy sighed. "Us? Nah...your mother though...well she's the one you have to worry about," Red said with a whistle, Roe made a face.

"Then I won't say anything!"

"Well then I can't help you when you get in trouble with your mom huh?"

Roe groaned looking out to Abe for help but he only smiled nervously.

"I'm sorry Roe but I can't help you this time," he smiled a little wider. "You'll need to talk your dad about this one," Roe groaned hiding her face in her father's chest.

"Promise you won't be mad?"

Hellboy made a face glancing over to Abe who could only shrug. "Cross my heart," he said softly.

"There was a man near behind the barrier."

"A man?" Hellboy was more than concerned, but he made sure not to sound too worried out of fear of scaring Roe back to silence.

"Behind the barrier?' Abe and Hellboy exchanged looks.

"He didn't hurt you did he?" Hellboy gritted his teeth as he spoke, the idea of some 'creep' watching his little girl sickened him.

Roe shook her head innocently, "Devon didn't believe that I seen him so I went to find him...but I got lost and it got dark...and I got really scared," Roe explained sniffing hard on the air, forcing back the snot. Hellboy couldn't help but grin.

"That all?" he asked and Roe nodded her head.

"Yes but what of the man behind the barrier Roe? Did he say or do anything to you?" asked Abe curiously, Roe at first shook her head before nodding quickly.

"He said he hadn't seen me for a long time," Hellboy grimaced, he didn't like the sound of that.

"I don't like that," he hissed, as he hoisted Roe onto his shoulders. "C'mon Abe, let's get the back home before Liz throws a fit...," said Hellboy.

"I think you mean an even bigger fit," Abe corrected him. Red frowned groaning some.

"Yeah..." he grunted.

"Is mom mad at me?" Roe muttered leaning over her father some, angry with herself that she had caused so much trouble.

"What Liz mad at you? Nah...she's probably mad we left her with the gasbag," Hellboy lied smiling up at his daughter who had managed a small squeak of a giggle, "There's that smile I love," he cooed causing Roe to giggle a bit more, even Abe shared a smile, Red truly was good with children, as much as the demon prince hated to admit it, he was a good father.


	4. Chapter 3

Location: England; Non-disclosed location 22:45, October 24 2016

"Well, I finally got the twins to sleep," Liz said as she walked down the small hall into the cluttered living area where the "men" seemed to be huddled together talking about something or another, they had only just gotten back from the forest, having spent a large amount of time searching for the man that had spoken to Roe earlier, but after hours of searching they were starting to think that maybe she had made it all up after-all. Roe hadn't been one for lying, her laughter always gave her away, but it wouldn't have been the first time a child has lied, let alone the first time they caught Roe talking to imaginary friends, she had plenty. And yet Hellboy couldn't help but feel as though there was something off about the whole ordeal.

Quickly he snapped his head up, glancing up at Liz, he nodded his head.

"That's a new record," Abe teased, always the optimist. Liz forced a smile nodding her head, her eyes on her demon lover.

"Urgh, tell me about it."

"They give you any trouble?" Hellboy asked trying to engage in conversation but his heart wasn't in it.

"Only for the first hour...Roe really wanted her dad-

"Should I get in there?" Hellboy asked, he hadn't been paying much attention, when Liz told him the twins had been sleeping, his mind had still been elsewhere.

"Not unless you want to wake them up," she said leaning against the wall, arms folded, her gaze, lowered.

"Nah, they should probably sleep,"his voice trailed off and he paused for a moment. "Hey babe, you okay?" he asked making his way over to Liz resting his more human hand firmly on her shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze.

She let herself melt into his arms.

"I'm freaking out Red, please tell me you guys found the person Roe was talking about,"Liz' voice was nothing short of desperate, her eyes pleading for an answer. An answer that no one had.

"I am terribly sorry frou Sherman," began Krauss in what Liz could only guess was a whisper. "Ve searched all over but zhere vas novone."

"I hate to say it but the gasbag's right, there was no one out there Liz-

"So what you think Roe would just make something like that up? Where would she get that from?" Hellboy shrugged.

"I dunno Liz, kids lie," Liz glared up at him, she didn't believe that he thought that, there were many things the twins did but lie was never on the list.

"They're good kids Red, they don't lie," Liz gritted her teeth.

"We can look again," Abe piped but Liz shook her head.

"No-no

"No what?"

"I don't want to do this Red, this doesn't feel right. I don't want to sit with my thumbs up my ass while some creep is out there trying to prey on our kids!"

"No one's going to be preying on anyone, someone wants to touch our kids they go through me," Hellboy gave his chest a slight tap and Liz frowned.

"That's real sweet Red, but I don't want to have to be afraid that some creep is going to snatch them up every time they go out and play," she crossed her arms over her chest eyes on the floor. "I think we should go back to the bureau."

"Liz you gotta be kidding me! We're not going back there, there's nothing for them there. There's nothing for us there-

"Hellboy, Perhaps Liz is right," began Abe nervously, getting a look from Hellboy. "Being back at the Bureau would be safer for them."

"Yeah like it was safe for the Professor? Or me? What about your princess huh? We have it good here, and I ain't just going to let some creep run us out."

"No one's running us out Red, it'll be safer there., better."

"Better? Liz in case you forgot the place isn't exactly a five star hotel," Hellboy grunted sarcastically.

"It'll be better for them," Liz corrected herself. Hellboy grunted loudly in reply, his nostril flared.

"I practically grew up in that place. You know how I was. That's ain't living Liz,"

"Red that's not fair, you're putting their lives in danger so you can be happy."

"Frou Sherman iz right Herr Hellboy! Zhe children komm first! Ve must be Foukused on zheir safety...even if zhat means going back to zhe Bureau," Krauss hissed waving a disconcerting finger at Hellboy who quickly slapped his hand out of his face.

"Get yer damn hand out of my face. This is wrong," the demon hissed through clenched teeth. "This is wrong and you know it," Hellboy lowered his voice some before leaving the small house. In a moment like this he would have had a beer or a cigar on person, something to take the edge off. But they didn't have that sort of stuff in the the tiny fairy village. It was a town of milk and honey and that was almost it. The place was useless, even more so when he was angry.

Behind him he could hear Liz calling after him, he could hear the worry in her voice and almost immediately he found himself feeling guilty.

He didn't go far, he wanted Liz to find him, he wanted her to take a step out of the door and see that he wouldn't have left her, even when he was as angry as he was.

He stayed silent, staring out at the barrier that was near impossible to see in the dark of the night. A small warm body sat besides him. "Liz I don't want to leave," Hellboy said without looking at her Liz managed a sigh.

"They don't have beer or cigars here," Liz teased and Hellboy snorted trying to hold in the urge to laugh. "It was worth a try, Red," Liz's soft voice began. "Come back inside."

"Nah," he began. "I think I'll stay here for a bit get some air," Liz sighed.

"Well, don't stay out too long," her voice trailed off some and he smirked gripping her hand softly in his own fleshy hand.

"Don't worry about me. I'm a big boy," he said as softly as he could muster, Liz sighed forcing herself to smile as she began back to the small house. "Red, I'm not trying to be the bad guy here...I just want to keep the twins safe."

"I know babe, I know."

There had been a long pause before Liz spoke again. "Don't stay outside too long alright?" her voice a whisper.

"Cross my heart."


	5. Chapter 4

Location: England; Bromwich, ruined Church 00:00 October 24 2016

The bald man stood over the scorched and crumbled stone of the old ruined chruch, this place was thick with memories and stories of importance and only he could hear them, the soft rustling that most would mistake for the wind in the leaves, the weaving of fate itself, the future was written in this place, he had been wrong the first time he was there, so many years ago, when the child was but a boy, but now he could hear the rustling, newer and clearer now, the children of the child, it told him.

Behind him the old mask of his puppet stood stiff and waiting, on what used to be the a stunning church alter, now a mess of splintered wood and crumbled stones. Kroenen,revived once more to do his bidding.

"The endless night will come," hissed the bald man,the rustling began again as though to agree with him and perhaps it did.


	6. Chapter 5

Location: United States; New Jersey, Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defence (BPRD) 19:43 October 29 2016

Tom Manning sat admiring himself on the other side of the tiny silver screen, half listening to the small interview he had with some randy earlier that day, he cringed at the little wrinkles made all the more apparent by the camera. His skin looked a little yellow two, and he was probably fatter. Manning frowned, dismissing it as a camera trick. He stole a cigar from his desk, ignoring the old photo of the Professor Broom and himself and the big red demon. He popped the cigar into his mouth, laughing internally when he thought about his doctors warnings, "that cough of yours is going to be the death of you if you don't stop smoking now," he imagined his doctor's rasp of a voice in his head, and chuckled weakly as he lit the cigar, wooden match to reserve the flavor, and a deep breath to take the edge off.

What the hell was wrong with the world? he wondered, he had demons chewing on his ass left and right. There was a sudden increase in the strange in the last seven or so years, complaints of ghost hauntings and sightings had gone up, news that people were being being eaten, torn apart, and just overall maimed were everywhere, and the Bureau was just barely keeping up with it all. If someone wasn't being sucked down the drains of their tubs leaving behind a mess of bloodied water and human pulp, then someone stepped into their closet and never came out again, or perhaps they were being possessed or eaten, the world was going to shit and...his thoughts were interrupted by an annoying ringing sound.

"The hell..." he muttered to himself spinning around the room to find the source of the noise. It took him a moment to realize it was his phone. He stared at the screen for a moment, it was an international caller, this wasn't surprising to him, he had friends all over, it came with the job, but he didn't recognize the number. He was almost hesitant to answer, he took a long drag on his cigar before blowing the smoke out of the side of his mouth and answering the call.

"Tom Manning."

"Wow...I can't believe you kept the same number," began the voice on the other end, a soft but cool female voice with a sort of almost lazy droll.

"Yes...who is this?" he frowned there was something familiar about the voice but he couldn't help but feel a little suspicious.

"Manning?" he definitely knew that voice, "It's me Liz," his heart dropped into his stomach and he straightened up some, killing his cigar in the graveyard that was his old glass ashtray.

"Liz? How...where are you-

"We're in Scotland...we just came from England...it's not safe here anymore," she said, she was speaking in almost a hush.

"That's was pretty quick," he muttered allowed more to himself than to Liz.

"What was that?"

"Where are you calling from?"

"I asked some kid if I could use their phone," she sounded somewhat irritated by his question, but he pretended not to notice, standing up from his desk to walk around the room a bit.

"Jesus, you're in danger and you're calling me from some kids phone? How are you so sure its not-

"Not that kind of danger Manning...some creep was talking to Roe a few days ago...it's not safe for them."

"Them?"

"The kids," Liz reminded him, and Manning paled a bit, he had almost forgotten the two had kids.

"Right...well I can send some agents over there if you-

"No...we want our old jobs back Manning," he almost laughed at her, they all quit on him and now here she was calling from some kids phone or their jobs back, she must have realized her mistake. "Hello?" she asked when Manning had become silent.

"You four quit! Remember-

"Yeah I remember...but this isn't about me...or Red or any of us...its about the kids, someone's targeting them and they're not safe here."

"And you think they'll be safe here?" it was a serious question and the two were silent for sometime mulling it over.

"I don't know...but at least we'd be prepared if anything were to happen over there, we're just sitting with our thumbs up our asses here while some creep is trying to play keep away with my babies," Liz sounded like a mother, Manning noted, terrifying, yet oddly soothing all at once.

He took a breath thinking, cursing himself for his good nature.

"Alright," he said through a sigh. "There's a haunted castle-

"When isn't there?"Liz forced out a joke that sounded like something Hellboy would say, Manning nodded his head letting out a halfhearted laugh as he tried to remember what it was he was going to say.

"Right well there's a haunted castle in Scotland...the umm...damn whats that name...Borthwick that's it. It's in Edinburgh think you can get there?"

"Edinburgh? Yeah I think so but why-"she cut herself off. "Oh my god thank you Manning," the words came out as a sigh of relief and Manning nodded his head, though he wasn't sure why, it wasn't like she could see him.

"Don't mention it...we'll take care of things...I'll have a rendezvous meet you up at Borthwick castle in Edinburgh...lets say...Friday. We'll pick you up and bring you back home Sherman."

"Manning I...I can't thank you enough," she sounded breathless, was she crying? he couldn't tell from over the phone. He huffed out a sigh, waving a dismissive hand in the air nonchalantly, another gesture she couldn't see.

"Don't-don't mention it, just make sure you get your butts over here and get back to work...the worlds going to hell."

"...Manning what are you talking about?"

"You'll see when you get here, Friday, Borthwick!" was all he said before hanging up. He blinked off the conversation Liz' words stuck with him, the kids aren't safe here, the kids. He though long and hard about that, kids, Hellboy's kids, and more than one. He swallowed hard on the air, grabbing his cigar and re-lighting it. He took a couple of drags, let the smoke sit in his lungs before blowing it all out, through a rather loud and disgruntled groan. "Kids," he muttered, running a hand over his mostly bald head, before taking another puff of his cigar, just to take the edge off.


	7. Chapter 6

Location: Scotland; EuroContenental Transit (ECT), en route to rendezvous point 12:57 October 31 2016

Devon sat face pressed against the window watching as the trees passed by, his eyes focused on the blurry world that them by in shades of greens and blues.

"My dear boy how are you feeling?" asked Krauss breaking the silence, he had been sitting in the small compartment with with twins, Roe leaning heavily against him, sleeping. "You have not spoken a vord since ve left ze village," Krauss added, had he had a face, he would have frowned. Devon was never the most talkative child, but this was different. He was upset, even Krauss emotionally dense as he was could tell.

Devon didn't respond. scrunching up his face some before snatching up his candy bar, he had set on the small table that separated them.

"Devon kan you hear me?" again Devon didn't respond, opening up his candy bar without so much as turning a hair in Krauss' direction.

"Herr Devon! Kan you hear me?" again silence was the only reply.

"Devon!" he tried again, this time getting a snappy "What do you want!" in reply. Devon was a little more than angry, little cheeks puffed, lips upturned.

"Ah zere ve are! Now how are you feeling my dear boy?"

"Uncle Johann why are we leaving the village?"

"Bekause it'z not safe zere anymore,"

"Why because Roe lied?"

"You zink she vas lying?" asked Krauss sounding as concerned as body would allow him to. Devon nodded his head peeking over to the talking deep sea diver suit, his big golden eyes trying their best to be angry.

"Wuh-well...yeah...I mean she's always talking to her stupid imaginary friends!" Devon forced himself to frown as he thought about his sister and her imaginary friends. She had never really liked them, she was almost always screaming at them to shut up or leave her alone, often clinging to him for support. Devon made a face nostrils flared as he let out a thing stream of smoke nose. Krauss cleared his nonexistent throat.

"Now Now, Zimmer down!" he said, snickering to himself. Devon made a face taking a rather large and loud bite of his half eaten candy bar.

"I don't get it..." Devon said rolling his eyes getting a very robotic, 'humpf," in reply.

"I only meant you should calm yourzelv. Ve vouldn't vant you catching a temper like your fazher, Herr Hellboy."

Devon made a face, ignoring him, and it became clear he didn't want to speak anymore, instead he focused his attention on his chocolate bar, nearly finished, melted chocolate on his fingers.

"So umm...uncle Krauss where are we going?" Roe asked pushing herself away from her mechanical uncle. Devon turned to face his twin before quickly turning away from her, still trying to be angry.

"Ve are going back to ze Bureau of Paranormal Research und Defense."

"That's where mom and dad used to work,right?" Devon managed to say. "Why are we going there? Dad says it sucks there and the people are jerks."

"Ze people at ze Bureau need our help un ve need zeirs."

"Why do we need their help? We were doing just fine."

"It's because of me isn't it?" Roe asked her small voice wavering slightly. Devon made a face, pretending to ignore her.

"Nien! not at all, my dear, your parent's, Herr Sapien, und myzelf only vant to keep you two safe!" Krauss said urgency hanging in his voice.

"But we were just fine at the village." Devon said again, as though trying to remind them it was all Roe's fault.

"In ze past, ja." Krauss interjected. "But now...not so much. Novone vants to be safe for only a time Devon, safety should be long term,"his words brought the twins to pouting silence. "Do you two vant to hear a secret children?" asked Krauss curiously turning to either children, their golden eyes filled with excitement, they loved secrets, maybe more so than any other child. "Gut, gut. Vell before you vere both brought into zis vorld, your fazher lived on in ze beuaru...he might not have liked it but...it vas zere zhat he met your Mozher, Frou Sherman!" Krauss said with his usual German flare. The twins frowned, it wasn't the secret they were at all hoping for, but Krauss wasn't quite finished. "Und your mozher found Herr Hellboy...Ze beauru haz a vay of getting people togezer...remember children it iz not alvays ze destination, but ze journey as vell," Krauss seemed very proud of his small speech, but he could tell it was ill met, the twins staring blankly at their uncle, the gas in his fishbowl of a head swirling round in twisted grey circles.

"I still don't want to go." Devon said defiantly, he wasn't one for change, he didn't like the idea of it. But the more he thought about it the more he didn't seem to mind leaving the village, the older he got the smaller the place seemed to get; the village was only a small cluster of wooden cottages hidden inside the forest, most of the cottages long abandoned by their fairy owners, other houses filled with old creatures that demanded never be disturbed. He and Roe spent a lot of time peeking inside of the windows of those cottages, never going in out of fear of what was inside. He was going explore one of those cottages one day, he had made the mental promise to himself several times in the past, Roe never believed him though, but he knew he would. And then Roe left the barrier.

He looked over to his sister, she'd been sitting in front of him now, knees pulled uncomfortably close to her chest. She had clambered over their uncle's lap to get to the window seat, Krauss barely moving an inch to accommodate her, not that she minded much, Roe was used to being uncomfortable by now, what with her large stoney hands it was almost second nature.

"Uncle Johann your metal butt is squishing Roe," Devon said speaking up for his sister, Roe was never any good at speaking up for herself, at least not when it came to the adults, she was always afraid that she would be bothering them or would have gotten them angry. He smiled a bit, he must have really gotten her upset to make her leave the barrier he thought making a face. He was very good at making his sister upset.

"Roe?" he managed to squeak. His sister turned to face him, slowly.

"Devon?"

For a moment Devon thought about apologizing but the more he thought about it the more he realized he didn't do anything wrong, not a single thing. It was after all her fault they were leaving, but still, he didn't like the sad faces she was making.

"People in Scotland talk kinda funny don't they?" he asked smirking some, Roe blinked, clearly not expecting the response, but her laughter followed her confusion with lightening speed.

"They do!" she chimed, she didn't have much else to add to her brother's joke but she did have laughter, and that was enough to get Devon laughing.

"Wunderbar!"Krauss shouted with a dramatic wave of his hands. "Look at you two getting a long again, zis iz gut!"Krauss finished, falling into silence, the twins staring blankly at the old gas bag; they didn't like arguing among themselves, but they didn't like Krauss' dramatics even more and within an instant they had gone back to staring silent out of the window until the train ride put them back to sleep, an easy feat to pull.

* * *

Big Red sat silent watching as the countryside sped by through the carriage window, his mind was racing, a thousand horrid thoughts all at once, at his side Liz snored softly, it was that cute nose he always liked but he couldn't seem to enjoy it, his mind overtaking his senses. All he could think about was the man at the barrier, the man that'd made Roe run into the forest looking for them, he couldn't help but wonder who they were, and what they wanted. They hadn't found any sign of anyone before and that didn't sit right with him, it was Bromwich all over again he thought furrowing his brow. Chasing ghosts and hiding, that's what his life had become. He felt useless, and it sickened him.

From the corner of his eye he could make out Abe peeking out at him from behind a day old newspaper, his amphibian friend had probably read the thing a least a hundred times since he had picked it up at the station.

"How are you feeling?" Abe was the first to break the silence, and it took Red a moment to process his friend's words.

"Huh-oh fine," he said quickly. Abe managed a frown.

"Fine?" he repeated, his voice holding zero hints of suspicion.

"Yeah...fine."

"Funny, but you don't sound fine," Abe pointed out, putting his paper down to sit in his lap. Hellboy pretended not to hear, knowing his friend was right. "You're worried aren't you?" asked Abe tilting his head, his big glossy eyes demanding an answer.

Red barely noticed he was frowning. "You reading me?" he grunted, half teasing, half not.

"I don't have to read you to see you're worried, these have been a very eventful last few days," Abe reminded him his voice a calm whisper. Hellboy nodded his head, it had been an eventful past few days. "We never found out who was after them before...and now this."

"Hellboy, we knew who it was."

"Yeah...well it can't be him he's dead...I watched him die."

"You of all people should know that what's dead may never die."

Hellboy made a face. "Poetic, you read that somewhere?"

"An old fantasy book," Abe said through a fairly earnest smile.

"So what...you think its really him?" Hellboy asked with mock curiosity and Abe gave a stilted nod of his head. "What do you think he wants this time?"

"Who knows. Maybe he just wants to chat," the joke didn't sit well with Red.

"He could be trying to finish what he started," Hellboy frowned glaring out the window, the sky was a beautiful shade of blue, crystal clear and not a cloud in site; it was perfection, he wished he could have enjoyed it.

"Or revenge," Abe gulped after the words, gulping down hard on the air, before giving a very nervous blink of his eyes.

"Yeah well what ever the hell he wants, I'll stop him in his tracks. He won't lay a finger on my kids," Hellboy said with his usual confidence. Abe nodded his head blinking several times, his silent speaking volumes.

"Oh...the trains stopped," Abe said sounding somewhat shocked, he hated to admit but he was so caught up in his own thoughts he hadn't been paying attention to the train, he frowned some, finding himself apologizing for his lack of attention on the matter. Hellboy nodded his head.

"Yeah...this our stop?"

"Looks like it," Abe muttered rolling up the newspaper he'd sat in his lap just moments ago. Hellboy nodded his head, giving Liz a nudge. "Come on Sparky," he began. "We're here," he added watching as Liz grunted back to life, her body unfurling against his mass.

"Where here?" she croaked, wincing at the sound of her voice.

"Yeah...we just got here, train won't stay here long so we better get moving," Liz nodded her head.

"Right, where're the kids?" she asked quickly her mind snapping alert. Hellboy gripped one of her shoulders tightly, not with his useless unfeeling stone hand but the one that allowed him to feel his lover's flesh beneath his fingers. It only took his touch to soothe Liz, but all the same Hellboy spoke up to calm her down.

"Don't worry, babe, they're with the Gasbag," he said softly making sure to get a joke in. Liz smiled weakly, rolling her eyes, holding in a weak chuckle.

* * *

The station wasn't crowded, but the people who were inside stared. "Wow, full on family of cosplayers, cool makeup." Hellboy heard someone say as the twins rushed up to him and Liz, more than eager to get away from Krauss and his constant speeches. Hellboy chuckled to himself, ruffling Devon's hair, a large part of him had wanted to turn to the blonde teen in lazy zombie makeup, and tell him and say "what makeup?" but he resisted the urge instead allowing Roe to drag him outside, her large stone fingers grasping desperately for his own. He made a face looking down at Roe, she hadn't been around many humans and he could see the questions burning in her eyes, it broke his heart. Just a day later no one would have thought they were cool, just a day later they would have been freaks, monsters, terrifying creatures and he couldn't bare thinking about having to explain that to the twins. He didn't want to think about the day the twins got loose and learned how horrible people were.

A small but firm hand gripped his back softly. "You okay Red?" Liz asked trying to meet his gaze.

"Yeah...Liz I'm fine," he lied ignoring the look Abe was giving him.

* * *

Location: Scotland; Edinburgh, Brothwick castle-rendezvous point 12:57 October 31 2016

The castle was busy, a haunted castle in Halloween, Hellboy expected nothing less, he sighed looking over to Liz who was staring at all the costumes, there was some sort of convention going on, she noticed looking around frowning deeply.

"Hey, Devon," said Liz bending down some so she was at eye level with the twins. Devon looked attentively at their mother.

"Yes?" he said in a voice that was so innocent Hellboy would have thought he was up to no good under different circumstances.

"why don't you take your sister and play for a bit while the grown ups-Roe cut her off.

"Are you and daddy going to steal more train tickets?" she asked curiously causing Red to burst out laughing.

"Red don't laugh...that wasn't funny."

"Like hell it wasn't," the big demon snickered trying his best to ignore the look Liz was giving him as he ruffled his daughter's hair.

"Red!"

"Right...Roe your mom and I have to meet someone here...okay?" Red explained, now he was kneeling infront of the twins, Liz glaring at him arms folded, he tried to ignore her, instead noting how much he towered over both children.

Roe made a face, fidgeting in place. "Alone?" she muttered before Hellboy could even ask if she was alright.

"You still scared of the man behind the barrier?" Hellboy asked watching as Roe gave a very nervous nod of head. "Yeah me too," Hellboy whispered beneath his breath. "That's why uncle Abe is staying with you two, make sure you don't get into any trouble," Red said standing to his feet before giving Abe a hard slap on the back. Devon chuckled. Abe was always flustered around the twins, as much as he loved them he would be lying if he said they were anything but a handful, but he didn't argue.

"We won't be long," Liz said more to Abe than to anyone else. "You two, be good," she said giving the twins a stern look, before leaving with Hellboy and Krauss into the castle.

Roe made a face. "I don't see why we can't go in with them," Devon grunted folding his arms over his chest.

Abe gave a nervous frown, blinking several times before suggesting they play a game. The twins frowned looking around some.

"Tag?" Devon asked looking over to Roe who smiling nodded her head.

"Not it!" she shouted running off.

"Roe don't go too far!" Abe managed to say looking over to Devon who had already began running after his sister screaming 'not it,'behind him. Abe groaned, he was good at many things, babysitting wasn't one of them.

* * *

Inside the castle was crowded, there was some sort of mystery tour going on, men and women in their middle ages dressed as characters from some show Hellboy had never heard of. "Who are you supposed to be?" someone asked making a grab for Hellboy's jacket, quickly he jerked away.

"Don't touch the threads kid," he snapped, glaring at the red haired, teen dressed in super sleuth movie bum make up. He hated places like this, sure, he could blend right in, but he didn't want to blend in he wanted to live freely without the fear of people judging or poking or prodding at him.

Liz put a hand on his back, gripping him tightly. "Calm down Red," she said softly a scouring the large main hall for their contact.

"I just want to get in and out, can't stand leaving the twins alone after-

"They're not alone they're with Abe...you're always telling me to calm down Red, I think it's time to take your own advice."

"Frou Sherman is right!" began Krauss walking taking large strides oblivious to the people he was bumping into. "All of zis danger business haz left you on edge, Herr Hellboy vhat you need iz to kalm down!"

"Yeah...sure," Hellboy said peeking behind him to observe Krauss' handy work, chuckling to himself. Liz made a face.

"He's right you know Red...not just about you...me too. We need to calm down, stressing ourselves out isn't going to help the twins."

"Hey you were the one who started all this, calling Manning getting our old jobs back," Hellboy began with a sneer. "Your idea, not mine, I wanted to stay in the village remember?"

Liz rolled her eyes. "Red I'm serious," she groaned, giving the demon a good punch in the arm. He smirked laughing it off. "We're leaving this place...we're going to be safe...so we should stop acting like someone going to kill us every two-

"Liz Sherman?" an unfamiliar voice snapped Liz into a fit, eyes burning like embers. She whirled around her first engulfed in flame.

The frightened man wasn't very old, clinging desperately to his B.P.R.D standard jacket, he swallowed hard eyes focused on Liz's flaming fist aimed at his face. Hellboy frowned gripping Liz's shoulder, forcing her to extinguish the flames and calm down.

"Easy there Sparky, where's the fire," Hellboy teased.

"Frou Sherman it appears it iz just a little frouline."

"Yeah well it looks like this little Frouline is our contact."

"He's...um right...about the contact part the frouline bit...I'm um-not a girl," said their contact through chattering teeth, Hellboy smirked unable to hold back his laughter.

Liz frowned gripping her smoldering fist,afraid anyone would see. "Damn it...I-I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else."

"So did the gasbag apparently."

"How vould I know?"

"Hey don't worry about it...my hair is pretty long," their contact said in a voice that wasn't as calm and forgiving as Liz had hoped. "Ummm...it doesn't look like anyone seemed to notice lucky for us," he continued, trying to easy Liz's mind some, his eyes darting around as though to make sure he hadn't spoken too soon, and he didn't, he was right no one had noticed, every one had been too busy listening to the curator prattle on about a scavenger hunt.

"So...uh who exactly are you...I was kind of-

"Expecting a familiar face?" He grinned. "Don't worry about it, I was mostly a pencil pusher in Colmar, the French division. Mostly research stuff...but a few weeks ago I got transferred and well here I am. Ezra Keets at your service," Ezra's tone was a roller coaster, moving from nervous to excited in a matter of seconds.

"They just keep getting younger and younger huh?" hellboy teased. "Hellboy," he said offering his hand to shake, Ezra stared at the demon's hand clearly nervous, "I don't bite kid."

"No...what...no. No I know that its just...wow, _the_ Hellboy, you know I read your files," Ezra began talking quickly and Hellboy grimaced, he hated fan-boys.

"Yeeeah..." Hellboy managed turning to Liz, "Boy can Manning pick em," he teased. Liz snorted shaking her head some.

"Sorry, you have to excuse the big guy, he's not really a people person."

"No..I'm sorry. I'm just a big fan is all, I read your files too you know," he said looking to Krauss and Liz.

"Have you now?" asked Krauss curiously, and Ezra nodded his head.

"Yeah, I've read your's and-that's weird I thought there were supposed to be more of you."

"There are, they're waiting outside."

Ezra froze. "Whoa...so it's true?" Ezra said breathlessly trying to catch up to Hellboy and the others who were already walking ahead of him.

"What are you talking about?" Liz asked with slight curiosity.

Ezra took a nervous breath. "That umm...you and er agent Hellboy got together and...you know," Hellboy was glaring at him now.

"Yeah she got with a demon...You got a problem with that?" Hellboy was fuming yellow eyes filled with fire and brimstone, Liz was glaring too, her gaze was cold and he would have been lying if he said that Liz didn't scare him more.

"No of course not...I think its pretty damn awesome. Excuse my french," Ezra said quickly, taking Hellboy and Liz by surprise, neither of them had quite been expecting that.

"Yeah well...let's just get going."

* * *

Outside the sun had already begun to set, the horizon a strange array of bloody purples, reds, and fiery oranges. Abe had been frantically trying to dissuade Devon from setting fire to the grass, Roe sitting silent by herself playing with some...thing.

"Devon stop that," Hellboy shouted catching his son's attention his voice alone enough to snap him into behaving. "Hey you okay Abe?" Red asked curiously. Abe gave a nervous nod of his head.

"Whoa Abe Sapien...it's an honor sir! From one pencil pusher to another," Ezra began with breathless fanboy fanaticism.

"Umm...pencil pusher?" Abe was nothing short of confused as he followed Ezra and the others round the back of the castle.

"Ignore him Abe...Roe what's that you got there?" Liz asked peeking over at Roe, who'd been trudging behind, engaging in silent conversation with an old and beat up head of a masked Nazi.

"Oh...it's my new friend I found him in the bushes by the castle...his name is Kroenen," Roe said proudly. Liz's heart fell into her stomach. "Roe put that down!" liz shouted loudly. "Abe where did Roe get that?" she was shouting now, and that caught Hellboy's attention, his eyes falling on Kroenen's beat up skull.

Quickly Abe snatched the the head away from Roe who quickly began shouting to have her new 'friend' returned to her. That didn't quite set right with Hellboy.

"Throw that thing away Abe!" Hellboy shouted at Abe who'd been hard at work reading the old head with an outstretched palm, head cocked to the side, eyes blinking rapidly.

"Hmm...doesn't seem like anyone's home...Perhaps, we should take it back to the bureau..." Abe said eager to read the old head. Hellboy was however not so eager.

"How about we not," was Hellboy's instant reply.

"But daddy Kroenen's my friend!" Roe demanded stamping her feet on the ground, pitching a tiny protest, refusing to move until the head was returned to her, Hellboy gritted his teeth, Roe could be a handful when she wanted to be, she wasn't as smart mouthed as her brother but she was...troublesome, now was no different. Hellboy heaved out a heavy sigh before scooping his protesting daughter under his arm as he and the others followed Ezra onto the plane.

Roe frowned arms folded, face contorted into the perfect pre-tantrum pout as she watched as Abe shoved something into the bag on his back. She eyed him closely smirking a little as Abe motioned for her to keep quite with a single finger over his lips. Roe smiled a little wider nodding her head.


End file.
